


The damage of today (and the struggles of tomorrow)

by Bohemian (Linguam)



Series: Post 3x10: Erchomai [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magnus Bane & Catarina Loss Friendship, Post-Episode: s03e10 Erchomai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 18:53:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14721683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linguam/pseuds/Bohemian
Summary: Alec is mending. Magnus is struggling. Catarina is there to pick up the pieces.





	The damage of today (and the struggles of tomorrow)

**Author's Note:**

> Just a silly little something.
> 
> Takes place after my other post 3x10 fic, Stay with me, but can be read as a stand-alone.

“He is resting,” is the first thing Catarina says when she appears through the bedroom door.

Magnus shoots up from the armchair on wobbly legs. The sudden change in altitude makes him dizzy.

“Is he—”

“No,” Catarina says. “But he will be.”

Magnus exhales, the air passing over his lips shaky with relief, with lingering fear. He makes to move past Cat and into the bedroom—doesn’t mistrusts his friend’s words but still needing to see it for himself: dull hazels and too pale skin haunting images on his retina—but a gentle hand on his arm stops him.

“And you?” Catarina asks quietly. “Are you okay?”

Her eyes are so full of sympathy and compassion that Magnus has to look away.

“Like I said, his help always comes at a price,” he intones dully.

“Magnus, I’m so sorry…”

Magnus shakes his head. He can’t think about that, not yet. He doesn’t want to.

“Thank you, for helping Alec.” _When I couldn’t_. “I’m sure Madzie is wondering where you are.”

He can feel Catarina’s eyes on him, but he ignores her, keeps his gaze fixed on the bedroom door. He knows for a fact that if he looks at her and sees pity in her expression, he’ll fall apart, and he can’t afford to.

Not when he isn’t sure that he’ll be able to pick up the pieces.

After a moment’s silence, his friend sighs.

“The tip of the arrow pierced his lung and scratched his heart,” she says bluntly, back in nurse-mode. Magnus can feel the blood leave his face and her voice gentles. “He had a few broken ribs, and that arm was a mess, but it’s on the mend. All of him is.”

Catarina squeezes his arm, and this time, he turns to look at her. Sympathy still radiates from her eyes, but alongside it is her signature firmness, not pity.

“You’re the one who saved his life, Magnus, showing up when you did. _You_. Not me.”

 _He was dying_ , Magnus thinks. _He was dying, and there was nothing I could do._

“He’ll make a full recovery, but his body went through some serious trauma,” Catarina continues. “He needs to rest. I can’t stress that enough.”

Magnus nods.

“I’ll make sure he stays in bed for the next few days.”

Catarina’s lips twitch.

“If anyone can make that happen, it’s you,” she says, and Magnus gives her a small smile.

A brief moment of hesitation, and then her arms envelop him in a tight hug. Her scent fills his nose, disinfect and spices and burnt sugar, and Magnus squeezes his eyes shut.

After a while, she sighs against his neck and, with a last, firm squeeze, she steps back, summoning a portal.

“I need to get going. I left some potions and salves, you know which ones. Call me, if you need anything.” She gives him a meaningful look. “Either one of you.”

Magnus watches her disappear through the portal. He can feel the magic in the air, as familiar to him as his own name, and instinct and longing, a desperate, burning need to fill this void inside him, makes him lift a hand and reach out.

The portal closes, fizzles out of existence.

Tears burn in his eyes, clog in his throat until he thinks he might actually choke on them. Deep-seated despair, the kind there is no coming back from, claws at his chest.

He lowers his hand, swallows it all down, turns around, and strides toward the bedroom.


End file.
